Contents

History

City and county community leaders realized in the 1950s, the need for a convention facility. The initial goal was to increase the occupancy rates of hotels during slow tourist months. A site was chosen one block east of the
Las Vegas Strip at the site of the
Las Vegas Park Speedway, a failed horse and automobile racing facility from the early 1950s.[3] A 6,300 seat, silver-domed
rotunda, with an adjoining 90,000 sq ft (8,400 m2) exhibit hall opened in April 1959. It hosted The Beatles on August 20, 1964.

Also, the venue was home to the
UNLV Runnin' Rebels men's basketball team from 1966 to 1982. It was demolished in 1990 creating space for expansion. When completed, 1,600,000 sq ft (150,000 m2), with 1,300,000 sq ft (120,000 m2) for exhibitors, makes it one of the largest single-level facilities in the world.

The Las Vegas Convention Center Act of 1971 authorized the use of $7 million to rebuild, remodel or expand the center.[4]

A 1998 expansion increased the center to 1,900,000 sq ft (180,000 m2). During the expansion, the closed
Landmark Hotel and Casino (across from LVCC) was imploded to add more parking.

While it functioned,
COMDEX was the most attended trade show in the United States with over 200,000 attendees on several occasions.

Another expansion, started in 2002, called the South Hall, added 1,300,000 sq ft (120,000 m2). When completed in 2004, it crossed over a major
roadway (
Desert Inn Road) with four bridges connecting the facilities.

As of 2009, the
Consumer Electronics Show is the most attended annual trade show at this location with more than 140,000 attendees.

Film history

A variety of shows have been taped in the convention center including Food Network specials and the 2009
Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions. Numerous conventions produce live shows in the facility.

In
The Boss Baby, the Forever puppies got launched here via Puppyco's in-house built rocket but failed to deliver.

Future

In 2018, plans were released for the Las Vegas Convention Center to undergo an $890 million expansion, the 14th in its history. The expansion is intended to increase the center's meeting space and improve the building's overall design, as well as to connect the Convention Center to the Las Vegas Strip.[6]

The authority has announced plans to expand the direction of the LVCC by creating a
Las Vegas Global Business District. Those plans resulted in the announcement for a planned acquisition of the
Riviera in February 2015 for $182.5 million.[7]